Displaced in Dreams
by Ravena Wolfborn
Summary: A dream? This is what happens when you read before bed. The story just happens to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.


I wake up to a loud ruckus going on around me. Opening my eyes, I see a very strange sight. The world around me seems to have changed overnight. I go to sleep in a very comfy bed and wake up on a bench in a corner. I sit up careful and dust off my clothes. As soon as my hands touch the fabric, I stop. I look down to see myself dressed in a gray, wool tunic and navy tights. The belt around my hips is loose but stays where it lays as I stand. 'These aren't my pajamas. What happened?' I take my hands through my hair only to find it had grown longer than my usual military cut, reaching almost to my shoulders.

Before I totally panic, I look around me. Stone walls surround tables and men. All of the men are dressed similarly to me, but some of them have better quality clothing and more colorful garb. The ruckus that woke me is coming from said men. They seem to be celebrating something rather fiercely, drinks and food being passed around and everyone laughing or talking loudly. At the head table, a man and a woman sit. They're both dressed richer than those below them, but not by much. The man on the dias was the last served, but seemed happy to be so.

Confusion still rages within me. 'How am I here? Where is here, exactly?' Just as I'm about to utter my thoughts aloud, the hall door flings open to reveal a rather scary looking figure of a knight. If I didn't know any better, I would think that he was a medieval, giant, long haired Beast Boy, but, unfortunately, I'm not that lucky. The man is totally green. He has green hair that reaches his elbows, green hood, green clothes, everything but his spurs, which are gold, is totally green. Even the axe in his hand is green. The sheer size of the man could bring anyone to their knees, but to add the fact that he's green to the whole equation is just pushing the boundaries of weirdness. To top all of this off, though, he's sitting on a green horse. 'A green HORSE!'

He didn't have any distinguishing armor or anything on. All he's carrying was a branch of what looks like holly in one hand and that super sharp looking, green axe. He just looks over the crowd and says in a booming voice, "I'd like to speak to your leader!"

Everybody was speechlessly in awe of this green knight that burst through the door. Then, the man on the dias addresses the knight. "You are welcome here, knight. They call me Arthur. Take a seat, eat and stay awhile. We can discuss why you're here afterward."

I look at the man in amazement. 'Arthur? Can this be THE Arthur? As in, King Arthur. Of the Round Table?' I run my hand through my hair again, trying to make sense of all of this. 'How could I be in the past? What did I eat before going to bed?'

The knight just waves off Arthur's courteous hospitality. "No, that's fine. I didn't come here for the party. I heard of you guys. You're supposed to be great warriors, wise, and proven in knightly sports. I mean you no harm, as you can tell by the holly in my hand. I'm just dressed like this to show you that I come in peace. I came here to see if you're brave enough to do me a favor."

Arthur answers, "Sir Knight, if you want a fight, any of these men would gladly give you one."

The knight shakes his head at Arthur's comment. "No, I didn't come for a fight either, especially with these beardless children since, if I was dressed accordingly, no man can ever match me. I want to play a game. If anyone is brave or smart enough to take a swing at me, I'll give him this axe." He holds the axe aloft in display. "I'll give them a free hit, and I won't even move. All they have to do is take the axe and swing it at me. And, in a year and a day, I'll return the blow to the person who steps up. I dare anyone of you to do it." He gets rather smug toward the end, like he knows something that we don't.

I look around the room to see further shock still the men. The knight just sits straighter in his saddle, daring anyone to step forward as he stares us down with gleaming, red eyes. He seems thoroughly disappointed when no one steps forward. He twists his green beard and cried aloud in mockery, "I thought that this was Arthur's hall, filled with reputable knights! Are you so afraid of one man that you all are struck silent before the game even starts?"

The green knight laughs, and Arthur's face flushes in shame and anger. He and all his men spring to their feet. They start toward him and Arthur speaks. "You asked for it! Give me the axe and I'll do it!"

I grab at my hair. 'This is nuts! What the heck is he doing? He's going to get killed or something!' I try to run up to stop Arthur, but my hands pass right through them. I try again, but the same thing happens. I look at my hands then back at Arthur in horror. 'I can't stop this.'

All I can do is stand there in shock as Arthur, then, went toward the knight, grabs the axe, and starts to swing it before the man who sits beside the woman speaks up. "My lord, let me do it. Let me go in your place and be your champion. I'm the weakest and dumbest of all of us, so I'd be the best choice. The only thing of merit about me is that you're my uncle. Since this challenge is so foolish, don't do it. Let me take your place, and if I fail, then everyone can blame me."

I shake my head at the utter stupidity of these men. I get the courage up to shout at them. "A champion isn't any better, you idiots!" No one seems to hear me, and I scoff. "Of course not. This is ridiculous!" I throw my hands into the air and just try to let the rest of it play out.

Arthur nods at his nephew and motions for him to stand. The man then kneels before Arthur and grabs the weapon from Arthur. Arthur lifted his hand and gave him his blessing. "Just hit him once, and if you do it right, he may not be alive to strike you after."

"God, these people just think they're so smart, don't they?" I smirk at their obvious plan.

The man steps toward the knight, axe in hand. Before the man can strike, the green knight speaks. "Before we start, we need to make come to an agreement. First, what's your name?"

"My name is Gawain," the man says, "and I am the one who is about to strike you, and whatever may happen. And, at this time in a year, you can take a swing at me with whatever weapon you want, but nothing else."

The green knight answers, "Sir Gawain, I am willing to take this blow by your hand. I like that you remembered what I asked of your king, but you have to swear that you'll find me so that I can give you the reward that you'll deal me today."

Gawain looks at the night, confused. "I don't even know where you live, or even your name. Who are you? Tell me, and I swear that I'll find you."

"Alright, I'll tell you when I have taken your blow. If I live, I'll tell you and you have to keep the agreement, but if I die, the deal's off and you don't have to find me. So, let's get on with it. Give me your best shot."

"Gladly," Gawain says, axe in hand.

The green knight bows his head and moves his hair over to bare his neck. Gawain grips the axe, raises it above his head, and lets the axe fall onto the green man's bare neck. I gag as the sharp edge goes right through the bone, making the head fall to the ground, rolling around. The men started to kick it around like a ball. I go pale at this display of cruelty. I grow terribly lightheaded as blood spurts from the fatal wound and drips onto the green man's clothing. What pushed me over the edge, making me faint, is when the man doesn't fall but goes for his head and puts it back on his body. I fall into a darkness as I feel my head hit rocks.

I awake with a start to find myself back in my bed. My hands roll over my clothing to find my simple cotton t-shirt covering my chest. A thud catches my attention, and I look down on the floor where it came from. My tablet fell when I bolted upright in bed. I pick it up, touch the power button, and see the screen. The title "Gawain and the Green Knight" lights up the screen. I facepalm at my utter stupidity. "It was all a dream, a really weird dream." I shake my head and put my tablet down. Throwing the covers back over me, I close my eyes. "That's the last time I read before bed." With that, I fall back asleep, praying that I don't dream about the Green Knight again.


End file.
